


Be Mine

by Fire_Bear



Series: Tumblr Requests [5]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Awkward Conversations, Awkwardness, Bars and Pubs, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Exes, F/F, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Heartbreak, M/M, Party, Two Endings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2016-12-30
Packaged: 2018-09-13 07:24:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9112594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fire_Bear/pseuds/Fire_Bear
Summary: Roxy's at a party - and who should be there but her ex-boyfriend, Merlin, with his new boyfriend. Desperate, she asks Gemma to pretend to be her girlfriend...





	1. Be Mine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aliesiar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aliesiar/gifts).



> There are two, alternate second chapters to this, set a few months after the events of the first chapter. So... I'll post the happier one as Chapter Two and the other one as Chapter Three.
> 
> For the prompt: “I need you to pretend we’re dating…”

Roxy was sure Charlie had done it deliberately. She wasn't about to confront him at the party but she'd definitely be having words later. Once she had gotten past the obstacle of bumping into Merlin while he was with his new, ridiculously attractive boyfriend, anyway. Seeing as she was alone and had gone months without any sort of intimacy beyond Amelia's hugs as she left the flat for her own dates, she wasn't looking forward to their inevitable stilted conversation about how each of them were faring. Obviously, Merlin was doing far better than she was.

Sidling around the edge of the room, Roxy escaped as Merlin greeted Charlie's cousin, Chester King. Thankful she hadn't bumped into anyone she knew, she dashed to the toilet and quickly hid there, leaning against the sink in despair. She wasn't sure she could go back out there; she had really loved Merlin before he broke up with her for reasons he hadn't divulged. Clearly, she wasn't his type. Still, what was she supposed to do? How could she stay here when she still hadn't gotten over him?

At that moment, the door opened and someone came in. Roxy jolted and straightened, turning to see a pretty woman hesitating in the doorway. She had long, straight, black hair with a block fringe. Her blouse had a ruffled collar and, with her black skirt, she looked like a businesswoman or other professional – not someone who should be at a house party. She blinked at Roxy before she gathered her wits enough to say, “Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't realise anyone was in here...”

Since she had been thinking of Merlin and his new boyfriend and what she should do, Roxy's thoughts seemed to bump off each other and, instead of saying something normal (such as apologising for not locking the door), she said, “I need you to pretend we're dating.”

They stared at each other for several seconds before the woman began to retreat. Roxy started forward with a cry to wait and the woman turned back, frowning at Roxy. “What are you talking about?” she asked.

“I-” Roxy sighed, clutching the edge of the sink and leaning her bum against it. “I mean...” She sighed again before gathering the courage to talk frankly about her problem. “My rubbish friend decided to invite my older ex-boyfriend with his new, attractive, nice boyfriend. And all I've done in the time we've been apart is binge on shows on Netflix.”

“Ah,” said the woman. “You want to make him jealous.”

“No! God, no... I just want him not to pity me. I want to look as if I have my life together when I _clearly_ don't...”

For a moment, the woman considered Roxy till Roxy dropped her gaze and sighed, prepared to send her away so she could mope in peace. Then: “All right. My name's Gemma. And yours is?”

“R-Roxy...” she told Gemma, blinking up at her in surprise.

“We met in the coffee shop I go to and we've been dating for a month. We're going slow but we're incredibly happy so put a smile on your face and let's go show me off to your boyfriend.” Gemma paused. “That... was not a phrase I thought I would ever say...”

Staring at her, Roxy shook her head. “You... You would really...?”

Gemma sighed, strode forward, grabbed Roxy's arm and pulled her from the room. “ _Yes_ . Now, let's get this over with."

* * *

 They had barely re-entered the living room with new drinks in hand when Merlin appeared before Roxy, his boyfriend in tow. Roxy wasn't sure she was ready for the confrontation but she took a deep breath through her nose and forced a smile she hoped looked natural. “Oh! Hi, Merlin. I didn't know you were coming to this.”

Merlin paused, his eyes flickering over both Roxy and Gemma. “Yes... Chester invited me. Apparently, Charlie was eager to see me...”

“Right,” said Roxy, not sure what to do with the information. “Well, um...” She dropped her gaze, at a loss as to how to continue.

“Hi,” said a voice at her elbow, making her jump and turn to Gemma, wide-eyed. A very pretty smile graced Gemma's face as she held out her hand. “I'm Roxy's girlfriend. Pleased to meet you.”

Merlin hesitated, staring at Gemma, an eyebrow twitching upwards. Then he took her hand and shook it. “Pleasure to meet you,” he said, his mouth twitching up into one of his small smiles that had always made Roxy melt. Now, though, she was too busy marvelling at Gemma's boldness to notice him. Then he turned to his boyfriend and Roxy tried not to grimace or make a face. “This is my boyfriend, Harry.”

“Good evening,” said Harry, shaking Gemma's hand, too. He also offered his hand to Roxy who forced herself to shake it.

“Well, um,” Roxy said once she had dropped Harry's hand. “It's, um, nice to see you. Er-”

“We should be going,” Merlin interjected, glancing at his watch. “We're flying to Paris in the morning and still have some packing to do. Harry only insisted on coming to 'put in an appearance'.”

“I thought it would be nice for you to say hello to your friends before we left the country,” Harry drawled, looking over the sea of faces. “But we really must be going now.”

“Oh. Okay,” said Roxy, stepping out of the way. “Have a nice trip.”

“Yes. Goodbye, Roxy,” said Merlin, patting her on the shoulder. Roxy tensed and could merely nod at Harry as he passed her with a polite smile.

“Have fun in Paris!” Gemma called after them.

There was a silence between the two women for a moment before Roxy managed to relax with a loud sigh. “Thank God that's over,” she murmured.

“Yes,” said Gemma, smirking at Roxy. “I'm not sure I could stand to watch something so awkward for much longer...”

Roxy sighed again and took a large gulp from her drink. “Well. Thanks, anyway. If I can do anything to repay you, just let me know.”

“How about you buy me a drink and fill me in on how your boyfriend went from someone as beautiful as you to... that guy.”

Blushing lightly, Roxy looked at Gemma sidelong. Gemma's eyes were bright and she was smiling confidently so Roxy nodded. “All right.”


	2. Bar Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternate Ending 1: Happier ending.

“All right, Rox?” asked Eggsy once he reached her. “How's life?”

“Pretty good,” Roxy replied, grinning. “But, before that, can I get my drink?”

“Sure, sure. Usual?”

“Yes, please!”

Eggsy wandered off down the bar and Roxy watched him go before spinning on her stool. The place was fairly busy tonight, all of the tables occupied. There were a cluster of regular customers, most of them girls, at the far end of the bar where a new employee was struggling to keep up with their flirting as he served them. Occasionally, he sent looks down the bar towards Eggsy who ignored him as he pulled out the shaker for Roxy's cocktail. Meanwhile, Jamal was wandering around the pub, gathering up the glasses and other rubbish with flirtatious winks at the women who openly ogled him.

Roxy turned back to Eggsy and watched him carefully pour the drink into a tall cocktail glass. He placed a straw and a little umbrella, making a show of sitting it just right before relinquishing it to Roxy. “So? You gonna tell me what's got ya all smiles?”

Hiding her grin behind her glass, Roxy took a sip before replying. It was perfect, as per usual. “Can't you guess?” she said, smirking at him.

“Well, the last time you was 'ere, you were waxing lyrical about a certain guy while sobbing into every kind of drink we 'ave 'ere,” Eggsy said, slowly, raising an eyebrow.

Before Roxy could reply, a voice piped up from beside her. “Having trouble working it out, Chicken Shit?” asked Charlie as he slipped onto the seat beside her. “Roxanne, here, has a new romantic partner.”

“'Romantic partner'?” Eggsy repeated, rolling his eyes. “Can't ya just say 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend' like everyone else, Prince Charles?”

Suppressing a giggle at the pair of them, Roxy intervened. “It's a girlfriend, Eggsy,” she told him.

“Really?” Eggsy replied, sounding excited. “Good on ya, Rox!”

“Calm down there,” said Charlie, dryly, barely able to hide his jealous frown. “You'll hurt yourself. They still won't display affection in public.”

“What, not even holding hands?” Eggsy asked Roxy, pointedly ignoring Charlie.

Amused, Roxy shrugged. “We're taking it slow, considering.”

“Considering what?”

“The way they met,” Charlie interjected.

Seeing as Eggsy seemed to be determined to ignore Charlie and Charlie himself seemed just as determined to tell Roxy's story to regain his attention, Roxy decided she'd have to stop playing coy and explain before another of their famous arguments broke out. So she told the tale in detail and unnecessarily slowly, Eggsy struggling to contain his laughter all the while.

“Shit, that's hilarious!” Eggsy declared once she'd finished. “Wish I'd been there...”

“I _did_ invite you,” Charlie grumbled, mostly to himself as he nursed the whisky Eggsy had given him at some point during the story.

Once again, Eggsy ignored him. “So is 'Gemma' coming along tonight?” he asked.

“Yep,” Roxy replied, handing him back her glass with a pointedly raised eyebrow. Eggsy immediately began to make her up another Cosmopolitan. “She should be here soon, actually,” she added as she checked her watch.

Eggsy nodded but seemed distracted, looking beyond the two friends. “So, uh, ya cool with Merlin, then?”

“I... suppose...?” said Roxy, hesitantly. She didn't dare look around, though, not even when Charlie did so and hummed in interest.

“Not even his new man?”

“No...?”

“Or the fact he's just come in with his man and a bird?”

“Huh?” Roxy asked, finally turning to see what was going on. Sure enough, there was Merlin in all his Inverness jumper-clad glory. Beside him was Harry, wearing a suit without the tie, top few buttons undone. Walking beside them was, indeed, a woman – but one whom Roxy recognised. Excited, she almost fell off her stool as she tried to stand and nearly missed the footrest – as it was, she leaned heavily on the bar with one arm and waved frantically with the other.

“Gemma!” she cried, catching her girlfriend's attention.

The woman raised her head and lit up as she spotted Roxy. With a wave, she hurried over. “Hey,” she said, slipping onto the stool on Roxy's other side. They smiled at each other before they both turned their attention to the hovering Merlin and Harry. “I met them on the way in,” Gemma explained.

At that point, Eggsy placed Roxy's drink on the bar. “So...?” he said, rather pointedly.

Roxy rolled her eyes. “Gem, this is Eggsy, one of my good friends. Eggs, this is my girlfriend, Gemma.”

“Nice ta meetcha,” Eggsy said, holding out a hand. Gemma shook it with a polite smile. When Eggsy let go, he nodded behind her. “And who's that, Mer?”

Sighing, Merlin obliged Eggsy with an introduction. “Eggsy, this is Harry, my partner.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you,” said Harry, offering his hand. Eggsy shook it, grinning. When Harry let go, he added, “Could I trouble you for a Perfect Martini?”

“Sure thing, bruv. Mer, usual?” Merlin nodded to Eggsy's question, rolling his eyes as well as if it was and should be obvious. “Anything for you, ma'am,” Eggsy asked Gemma.

“Vodka lemonade, please,” she said.

As Eggsy wandered off to get their drinks, Charlie made a noise of protest. “Oi! What about me?”

Shrugging a shoulder, Eggsy merely pointed behind Charlie. “There's a table free there, now, if you lot are wanting one.”

“Thanks Eggsy,” Roxy said, steering a fuming Charlie and an amused Gemma towards it. Merlin and Harry trailed behind and Roxy was glad to realise that the tension from seeing Merlin after their break-up had completely gone. Everything seemed right in the world and she hoped she could be this happy forever.


	3. Be Mine, Please

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternate ending 2: Angsty one.

“All right, Rox?” asked Eggsy as he reached her. “How's life?”

“God, I don't know any more,” Roxy sighed, slumping against the bar. “Can I get my usual?”

“Sure thing,” Eggsy replied, flashing her a worried look. He gathered up the bottles and shaker he needed, ignoring the silent pleas of the new worker further along the bar: the newcomer had a crowd of regulars clamouring for his attention and was obviously overwhelmed. But Eggsy, ever the greatest barman Roxy had ever met, calmly began mixing Roxy's cocktail, concentrating on her and her problems. “So,” he said, “what's up?”

Roxy considered her options and then decided that it might be better if she could talk about it to someone who wasn't her maybe-girlfriend. “Merlin turned up at my flat last night.”

“Huh? I thought he'd dumped you...” Eggsy winced when he realised the harsh way he'd said it. “Sorry,” he said before he put the shaker together and mixed Roxy's cocktail. Finished, he poured it carefully into the glass. “So, what happened?”

“He said he wanted me back,” Roxy explained. “Apparently, he could see I was 'going places' and that he was 'holding me back'. I mean, at the time he said his job was the reason for breaking up with me but now he's making it out to be that he sacrificed himself for me.”

“Well, shit,” said Eggsy, setting the glass in front of her. “I can see why ya need a drink. Though you should probably get a friend, too, to talk to, yeah? Where's Charlie?”

“Ugh,” Roxy groaned, pausing to take a sip of her drink. “He's the reason I'm in this mess. I haven't been speaking to him recently.”

“Huh. Uh. Wait. What mess? How did-?” Eggsy broke off and leaned against the bar himself. “All right, Rox, start at the beginning. You're not making sense.”

“Merlin saw me at his party and realised he wanted me back. But he was with a guy, his boyfriend, so now I don't understand why he wants me. And I asked this girl to pretend to be my girlfriend. She's pretty and sweet and witty and I really like her. But... But Merlin's... Merlin.” Roxy stopped and bit her lip, trying to hold back tears. “I think I still love him. Or I still have feelings for him. But... But Gemma...”

“Jesus,” breathed Eggsy. “And I thought Posh Pants over there had problems.” He jerked his head along the bar towards a man who was huddled at the far end, beyond the crowd Newbie was attracting. Whoever it was was nursing some sort of dark spirit in a glass and was hunched over the counter. When he knocked back the last of his drink and set the glass down, Roxy gasped.

“That's Harry!”

“Huh?”

“He's Merlin's boyfriend! What's he doing here?”

“Merlin's boyfriend, huh?” said Eggsy, staring at the man. “I think I can clear _something_ up.”

“What?”

“Merlin's a heartless fucker. Don't get back with him.”

“What?!” exclaimed Roxy, eyes wide. She could feel herself getting ready to defend the man, despite still being confused about him. However, she was stopped in her tracks by the furious look Eggsy turned on her.

“That's not Merlin's boyfriend,” Eggsy told her. “Merlin knew you'd be at the party and wanted to look as though he'd moved on. So asked Mister Posh there – the same Mister Posh who's head over heels in love with 'im, mind – to be his 'date'. He's down there drowning his sorrows because Merlin's dead serious on getting you back. But Merlin  _knows_ how the guy feels.”

Roxy stared at Eggsy, aghast. “Wha-? But Merlin...”

“- is an arsehole. Dump his arse.”

“But-”

“I think Harry needs another drink so I gotta go. Talk later.”

Roxy watched Eggsy stalk off, obviously fuming. There were certain things the bartender couldn't allow and messing with people's hearts was one of them. It was probably why he treated Charlie so coldly whenever he flirted with Eggsy, especially when he had female company hanging off his arm. And, though Merlin was also a friend of Eggsy's, Roxy had no doubt that he'd pull him up about it the next time he saw the man. Unless Merlin avoided him.

Sighing, she took another sip of her drink and peeked at Harry and Eggsy. The younger man was trying to cheer him up, that much was obvious from a distance, but the despair of the elder was also clear. Roxy had seen him a few times over the last few weeks and he had always been upright and proper, all manners and gentlemanliness. Now, though, he was slouched and barely acknowledging Eggsy who turned from him with a slightly defeated demeanour, looking for the drink Harry wanted. For a few seconds, Roxy debated whether to leave him be or not.

Then she found herself beside him, slipping onto the neighbouring stool. “Hi,” she said. “I know you probably don't want to see me,” she added as Harry looked at her in horror, “but I figured you could use a friend. Even if it  _is_ me. Besides, it'll stop Eggsy having to run the length of the bar to keep us both company.”

“Too right,” Eggsy grunted as he set down Harry's drink.

Harry stared at them both for a moment, looking pained. Then he nodded. “All right.” He raised his glass as if to toast them. “To company, though not the kind I wanted.”

“To love,” Roxy said, raising her own, “though it's being a right dick.”

Eggsy picked up a tiny, pink umbrella. “To alcohol. 'Nough said.”


End file.
